I hate asking or talking about money. Always have... I find it crass sometimes, but since I don't have much of it, I'm curious if a few procedures are in the cards for me.

I think I've been blessed with my weight loss and the dreaded skin aftermath... Started at 270lbs, currently at 135lbs, and I've maintained this weight for about six months plus. Thankfully, my skin isn't toooo bad (to me it is, I'm super self-conscious... but comparing my stomach and boobs with friends who have had kids, it looks pretty similar to those mommies; and my boyfriend is a saint... he says he loves me just the way I am!) My arms are a little bit flappy for my liking, but I can live with it. I can also kind of live with my butt and thights... Not great, but okay overall.

Therefore, without spending the money for a consult to figure out what I really want and need... Almost ready for that, not quite tho. I'm initially thinking my two 'wish list' areas for PS are a Tummy Tuck and a Breast Lift/Breast Augmentation.

I realize the cost varies by area, doctor, procedures done together, yadda yadda... But I'm curious on the ranges of what these two procedures (likely done together due to time needed off work) may cost me. If it helps, I'm looking in the greater Seattle market, and would likely prefer to find a doctor up there.

Although, thinking of it... Since Portland and Oregon are no-tax states, does that apply to plastic surgery!? Any time I need to make a large Costco purchase or am buying a tv or some other electronics, I totally make the drive to save on the sales tax! Ha!

Alissa

I wasn't planning on having plastics - mother of two kids - one going to college, etc. etc.  don't really like putting myself first, but I ended up with an abdominal hernia, so it was one of those things, that as long as I was having the "hernia repair" ...anyways  I had my arms done, tummy tuck, and breast life, no augmentation -- total $23,000 ---  I actually saved some money because of the hernia,  spent the night in the hospital which hopefully will be covered due to the hernia.  Surgery was a little shy of four weeks ago, and so far so good ...

That sounds like a lot of work! Done all in one go?! How are you feeling four weeks out...

You know, its nice that you are taking care of yourself and doing something for "you". I think as women, we forget to do that in our busy lives

Will you be posting before/after/progress pics of your PS?

Thank you for your input!

The cost varies so greatly by where you live.

I live in California where I think everything is more expensive.  I had a total abdominalplasty and full back lipo.  Had to stay in the hospital one night.  Everything included was 13,100.  I don't think there was any tax on any of it.
I was considering having my boobs done too...a breast lift and augmentation...and it would have cost another 11,000..so I decided that they were not that bad to spend that money.  The funny thing is..after I had my TT, so many people asked me if I had gotten boobs too.  Having a smaller stomach really made my boobs look bigger so now I am glad that I didn't have them done.  A good bra and they are good enough for me...and my husband loves them too!

Good luck to you.  I know it is alot of money...but it was worth every penny!  I felt like it was the prize at the end of my journey for me!

Patty

Very well said... And Cali is the Mecca for plastic surgery, it seems!

My bra size was a 44DDDD... Now I wear a 36C, which in theory sounds ideal, but I feel like my 'girls' look like udders, lol! I am sure without the excess skin I'm a B cup tho! And I feel great in clothes, and fabulous in Flexees, but I hate that it's a huge production any time I want to go pee! Ha!

Thanks for your insight, I appreciate it!

where i live it was alot less than what others paid. i had abdominoplasty, now my insurance did pay for part of it. originally as total self pay the doctor quoted 4500 for his fee and anesthesia fee. since my insurance paid for part of it, i ended paying the ps 1500, anesthesia 800 and the hospital an additional 500...so about 3000 altogether, which seems to be a bargain compared to what others paid

That does sound like a bargain! Is abdominalplasty the correct term for a TT?

My insurance won't cover it... But it sound like I would qualify for medical leave, which is enticing b/c the weeks I would take off from work wouldn't be completely unpaid

There is also panniculectomy removing pannus extra lower hanging belly skin but not neccessarily with abdominal muscle tightening. Some insurances cover the Panni and you can pay difference. Check your HMO and insurance guidelines. You do not want cosmetic surgery! You want corrective surgery where your body is restored to a state of normalcy. If you have had treatment for rashes fungi sores in folds of blubber areas, ask your GP/skin doc document what is seen. And you csn always Appeal.
Good luck to you on your continued journey.
Mikimi in Israel

yes abdominoplasty is a TT, panniculectomy is the removal of the skin. usually insurance companies may pay for panniculectomy (mine did) but not the full TT unless you maybe have a hernia. so i paid about $3000 in total and im extremely pleased. I have never in my adult life had a flat tummy. i had a huge amount of abdominal skin. prior to the TT i wore a size 10-12 and now depending on the store, I wear a size 4-8

Yes I did get medical leave and state disability too.....a hugh help!  I was off of work 3 weeks.

Patty

You may want to consider Dr Sauceda in Monterrey Mexico.  Take pics from the front, side, back and other side and send to drsauceda@gmail.com  He'll get back to you with what he thinks he can do for you and a quote.    He's an artist and very affordable...  Click on Dr Sauceda in my siggy line and it'll take you over to our group here on OH.

Hello, fellow washingtonian! I'm up in seattle! I don't know about the tax-free thing, I didn't pay "tax" to my plastic surgeon per se, he just gave me a quote and I paid that exact amount. I'm sure he figures his own taxes into the amount he charges me. But I was never assessed a separate tax. So you probably won't need to worry about that aspect of things.

I had a pricey plastic surgeon here in Kirkland, (the plastic surgery capital of Washington, so it seems). Paid $7,000 for breast lift, $7,000 for implants, and around $10,000 for fleur de lis (anchor cut/ vertical wedge- I have the vertical incision going up to the breastbone) abdominoplasty. Oh, and an additional $3,000 in hospital bills for complications that ensued from the tummy tuck. BTW abdominoplasty is the same thing as a tummy tuck, it's the official medical term. You may hear people talk about panniculectomies or pannus (panni) removals, those are NOT the same as tummy tucks, they are just the removal of the 'apron' of skin below the bellybutton, without tightening of the abdominal muscles. It's a less invasive procedure with more limited results.

So yeah, I spent about 27k on my boobs and belly. Most people will spend less. I found the best breast surgeon because my boobs were a MESS. You can look at my before/afters in my photos (friend me if you're not already). Mine looked like udders. Or windsocks. I wanted to stay local, and I'm very glad that I did because I suffered a lot of complications and needed to be seen for followup care by my surgeon. If I had to do it over again I would have insisted on spending the night in the hospital after my tummy tuck, even if I had to self-pay. That would've run me about $1,000 as opposed to the $3,000 I spent on an emergency blood transfusion a few days later. Not my surgeon's fault, I had an undiagnosed bleeding disorder.

What I'm trynna say is, be sure to budget for possible complications, for extra help if you need it, and for time off work. If you can just barely afford a procedure but will be financially ruined if you end up needing to spend a bit more on something unexpected, best to wait a little longer and save a little more. Many people here have had complications both minor and major. I was told I'd only need to take 3 weeks off work for my tummy tuck. I ended up recovering for 6 weeks (again, due to severe complications). **** happens.

As far as doing breasts and tummy together, I dunno. I couldn't have done it. When your abs are out of commision, you need your arms to help compensate. I would have been completely helpless because I was using my arms to push myself out of bed/chairs when I couldn't use my abs. If you've had your boobs done, you can't use your arms because they put the implant under the pec muscle (usually- not many people have it over the muscle), and every time you use your arms the pec contracts. If you overuse the arms while the breasts are healing, you risk bleeding, hematomas, scar tissue formation, capsular contracture, and lateral displacement of the implant (the muscle can pu**** out of place). My PS did my breasts first and my tummy tuck 1 month after that. They were both very major recoveries and I don't even want to imagine doing them together.

If, say, you were doing breasts and arms, that would be a good combo, because you can't use either together anyway. But you said your arms aren't too bad (lucky!) so that's a moot point. I know having two recoveries really sucks. But from my experience, I wouldn't combine those two particular procedures. I read a review over on realself.com from another person who had them done together and she regretted it because she was completely disabled.

I went on a LOT of consults in the seattle area and I can tell you that I really liked Dr Rand, Dr Baxter, and Dr Pratt (he's the one I went with). I have heard really good things about Dr Egrari but never consulted with him. I also met with Dr Anous, who was the least expensive, but was not impressed by some of the things his patients had to say about his aftercare. You gotta be careful about what you say in public forums so I'll leave it at that, you can message me if you want to discuss plastic surgeons in more detail.

GOOD LUCK!! 

 You are my hero!  You went through all that and you are still such a positive person. I had such a scary complication with my gastric I just knew I was going to have complications but so far so good. I so agree with you....have to be prepared in case their are complications.   I am glad you are feeling better and wishing you the best

Hi I am going in this week to have an extended tt with lipo of the flanks (love handles) and a breast lift. All together it is costing me $15,000 but I have after care expenses because I am opting to go to a recovery place with a full time nurse that is $800 per night. That is not mandatory but I thought it was a good idea for me. My doc did not charge a consult fee and I know of a bunch of others don't as well.
Good luck on your journey!

 I also live in Washington.  I live in Lacey Olympia area but I had my surgeries done in Bellevue with dr egrari.  I too paid higher than most which was a little over 27K but was so worth it to me.  I went on several consults and all of them were cheaper than the one I went with but when I walked into his office I knew he was the one!  I felt so comfortable and secure with him!  

I had lbl and breast augmentation and lift at the same time and had no issues. I did not really use my arms I just used my hubby for the first day or two and then just used my legs!  I went back to work after two weeks. I was very tired the first week but other than that very good!

The best of luck to you!  

 I live in California and went to Dr. Grant Stevens and Dr. Stoker in Marina Del Rey you might have seen them on the TV Show the Doctors and recently on Extreme Weight Loss Makeover. 
I didn't seek out a TV Doctor in fact I was dead sent against it. I didn't actually find out who they were and that they were on TV until after I had scheduled my surgery. LOL 

Anyway very happy with the re****s I hace a LBL/Tummy Tuck, Breast Aug and Lift. and it cost me $22,000.00 one nite in an after care facility. 

Best wishes to you 

My breast lift/aug cost about $8k

 I'm planning on going to Dr. Sauceda when I lose weight. I like that it costs less but I have also read so many positive reviews on him. He sounds great and like a great surgeon. I am thinking all together (I want a lower body lift, thigh lift, breast lift, arm lift, and maybe implants but I not so keen on having balloons in my chest.) I'm thinking all together (if the price is the same later) it may be $25000 if including multiple trips and such.

My breast surgery was done at Windsor, Canada in a clinic named “The Windsor Breast and Tummy Tuck Centre”. I think I got an affordable treatment to gain my beauty. It is done by a doctor named Marcus Niessen and he was pretty great in doing this. Initially I thought it will cost me more and was really scared of my budget. I spend a total of $5000 including the medicines and hospital bills. Now I am planning to do a tummy reduction. I will mostly consult the same center this time. You can also join me if you are interested.